Curfew in Nepal’s Birgunj extended amid tense situation

Authorities in Nepal’s Parsa district have extended the curfew in Birgunj until 1 pm on Tuesday as tensions remain high following incidents linked to rising religious unrest, officials said.The District Administration Office (DAO), Parsa, issued the order under Section 6(a) of the Local Administration Act, 2028 BS, restricting all forms of public movement and activities within the designated curfew zone. According to officials, the restricted area stretches from the eastern bypass road to Sirsiya Bridge in the west, and from Power House Chowk in the north to Shankaracharya Gate in the south.

UPDATE | Nepal: Curfew in Birgunj extended till 1 pm today, 6th January, amid the tense situation there: District Administration Office, Parsa https://t.co/9UsvJAdun5

— ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2026

The administration has appealed to residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary and warned that security forces have been authorised to take strict action against curfew violations. People needing to move for urgent reasons have been advised to coordinate with nearby security personnel for permission.The DAO clarified that vehicles providing essential services will be allowed to operate during the curfew. These include ambulances, fire tenders, hearses, and vehicles carrying health workers, journalists and tourists. Transport linked to human rights organisations, diplomatic missions and passengers holding valid flight tickets will also be permitted to move under police supervision.
Birgunj remained on edge on Monday as protests erupted following an incident in Kamala Municipality-6 of Dhanusha district. An unidentified group allegedly vandalised a mosque in the Muslim settlement of Sakhuwa Madan and burned a copy of the Quran on Saturday. Images and information related to the incident circulated widely on social media, triggering anger and demonstrations.Protests began on Sunday when members of the Muslim community gathered in Birgunj demanding swift action against those responsible. Later in the evening, Hindu groups organised a motorcycle rally, alleging that remarks made during the earlier protest were aimed at the Hindu community.Tensions flared again early Monday, leading to fresh demonstrations and brief clashes between protesters and police. Despite prohibitory orders, groups of Muslim youths assembled in areas such as Chhapkaiya and Murli. Police said around two dozen people have been detained in connection with the disturbances as security remains tight across the city.